Attachment for operating tables



March 1, 1949. I M, 5, OWE 2,463,400

ATTACHMENT FOR OPERATING TABLES' Filed 001;. 30, 1946 EN TOR.

V IN May 6. 0we

M I I AT 'roRlvs YS Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED 'S TAT ES PA-TEN T OF FICE ATTACHMENT FOR OPERATING: TABLES Mary C. Lowe, Westfield, Mass.

Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,542

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates to an operating table such as is used in hospitaIs and the like.

A hospital operation is "usually performed upon. a specially constructed table which provides especial conveniences for the surgeon and attendants. wdifiiculty in: preventing movement of the patient on the table, especially in a lengthwise direction; a and various inconvenient means, such as straps and the like, are resorted to =in-order to provide ior holding the patient on the table. Also,- in the In such operating tables, there is use of a syringe or container for the anesthesia. it is usually necessary for some person to hold this container during the time the anesthesia is given to the patient.

An object of this invention is to provide an attachment for an hospital operating table which will provide a shoulder rest for supporting the patient against movement lengthwise of the table.

Another object of this invention, is to provide a holder for the anesthesia container such as a syringe or the like which might be used.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment performing these functions which will fit onto the usual operating table and which will be adjustable thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment in which a bracket may be adjustable as to height to satisfy varying conditions which may be encountered in the use of the operating table.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very rigid and yet comfortable support for the shoulder 0f the patient which will support the pressure caused by the weight of the patient thereagainst so that the patient will not move lengthwise of the table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a detachable means for securing a container for some fluid which may be used during the time of operating; the arrangement being such that the container is easily and quickly removable from the holder for replacement or the like.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an operating table illustrating my bracket equipped with the shoulder support and syringe holder as mounted in position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket with -the.syringe removed and the padding for the for horizontal adjustment.

The bracket is provided with an arm on which resilient fingers are secured to act as a clip to retain in place some container, such for instance as a syringe, for medical use, while an arm is slidably mounted on the bracket for movement laterally of the table which arm will be padded for comfort when engaged by the shoulder of the patient.

With reference to the drawings, the operating table shown in Fig. 1 is designated generally II]. It consists of a framework 1 I with a bar I 2 extending horizontally along one side thereof. A mattress I 3 is provided on the framework l l of the table which mattress is provided with an opening or recess I4 for the convenience of insertion of a needle into the body, such for instance as for spinal anesthesia purposes.

A member designated generally I5 is slidably mounted upon the bar l2 by means of an opening it which extends through this member so that this member may be moved along the bar lengthwise of the table. The member is provided with a vertical opening H in which there is located a bracket [8 having an upwardly extending portion l9 positioned in the opening I! and an horizontally extending portion 20 which extends over the table and its mattress l3. This bracket 18 may be adjusted by movement of the vertically extending portion 19 in the member l5 and may be held in an adjusted position by the set screw 2| which engages this portion l9 to firmly press it against one of the sidewalls of the opening H.

An arm 22 has a mounting portion 23 which is riveted as at 24 to the horizontally extending portion 20 of the bracket. This arm is then offset upwardly as at 25 and provided with an horizontal extending portion 26 upon which resilient fingers 21 are secured in spaced relation to flex toward and from each other. These fingers are so shaped as to provide a narrower entrance edge '38 and a broader receiving portion 29 adjacent the portion 26. These fingers serve as clips for receiving some article to be held between them.

Another arm, designated generally 30, is provided with a base portion 3| which is slotted as of 32 to slidably receive the rectangular portion 20 of the bracket, while this arm extends upwardly in an are as at 33 and is covered with some soft padding as at 34 shown in Fig. 1. In use, the arm 30 is slid along the horizontal portion 20 of the bracket to a convenient location to receive the shoulder of the patient. Pressure against the arm 30 will, through the leverage of the bracket, bind the member IS on the bar l2 against sliding therealong.

The shoulder rest serves to support the patient when the operating table is inclined upwardly at one end and provides a means for much better and much more comfortably holding the patient in the desired position.

A syringe, or article containing anesthesia 35, is positioned within the fingers 21 by pressing the same through the narrow entrance 28 and is there removably held by the resilience of these fingers. From this syringe, a tube 35 leads to the needle 31 for use in administering a spinal anesthesia. A valve 38 controls the amount of fluid which will be passed through the tube 35 by reason of the action of the hand plunger 39. By having the clip to hold the syringe, the nurse in attendance to administer this anesthesia may much better control the anesthesia in accordance with the amounts desired.

I claim:

An attachment for an operating table having a longitudinal bar of rectangular cross section along one side thereof, comprising a slide having an opening therein also rectangular in cross section to move along said bar and provided with a second opening having a rectangular cross section, a bracket having a leg of a cross section to fit said second opening in the slide and having a second leg at substantially right angles thereto to extend over the operating table, means to secure the first leg in said opening in adjustable position therein, said second leg extending over the table, an arm extending from said second leg parallel to said bar and ofiset upwardly from said second leg and resilient fingers on said arm also parallel to said bar to receive a syringe in clamped relation.

MARY C. LOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 808,485 Sparkman Dec. 26, 1905 1,115,794 Eriksen Nov. 3, 1914 1,239,146 Wantz Sept. 4, 1917 1,266,367 Wilson May 14, 1918 1,516,795 Schwarting Nov. 25, 1924 1,778,698 Walter Oct. 14, 1930 2,051,712 Holt Aug. 18, 1936 

